Archer template

[Lightfoot]

I've been fiddling with a couple of interesting templates recently;
Archery
Tactics
Chivalry
Bushido
Focus
Meditation
Resist

Healing from confidence, close wounds, leech, pots.

Also;
Archery
Tactics
Bushido
Focus
Meditation
Hiding
Stealth

I just do PvE with these. Also one should note that with imbuing in the game, one can have a pool of 824 skill points. That led me to build... but I should save that for the mage forum.

Any thoughts on these archers? Pointed criticism would be welcome.

 

[CorwinXX]

What does "PvE" mean?

 

[Farsight]

Not templates I would have tried. The lack of healing skills would trouble me too much (mysticism, healing, chivalry in the second template) for my play style (at least if I still played). The lack of anatomy for extra damage also tweaks my nerves, since that means all fights would be much longer.

But if it works for you, then no problem!

 

[Bort of Atlantic]

PvE is player versus environment, same thing as PvM.

I'd want an actual healing skill, so necromancy for VE or ...healing. What's the goal for the templates you're presenting? I see focus and meditation, so I think you're going for regens, but when you have mana and stamina leech on your weapon, there's not that much of a reason to take up 200-240 skill points to get your mana back a bit quicker between each fight. Are you trying to start off with an armor ignore or something along those lines?

As Farsight mentioned, no Anatomy; there's no reason to sacrifice a straight dps increase on an archer (other templates tend to be more cramped).

 

[Lightfoot]

Thanks Bort. I'm seeing how far I can lower intelligence and still have enough mana to spam specials without ever having to stop. I'm finding the lack of healing is easily covered by confidence as I slip into and out of range. With timing I can heal without ever missing a shot.

Anatomy seems redundant to me. I'm quickly running into the damage cap as it is.

The second template does less damage but is really a lot of fun. We'll see if fighting higher level critters brings the party to an end, but so far so good.

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to punch holes in these ideas.

Thx again.

 

[Bort of Atlantic]

Thanks Bort. I'm seeing how far I can lower intelligence and still have enough mana to spam specials without ever having to stop. I'm finding the lack of healing is easily covered by confidence as I slip into and out of range. With timing I can heal without ever missing a shot.

Anatomy seems redundant to me. I'm quickly running into the damage cap as it is.

The second template does less damage but is really a lot of fun. We'll see if fighting higher level critters brings the party to an end, but so far so good.

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to punch holes in these ideas.

Thx again.

Anatomy is figured in before the 300% cap and has nothing to do with it (the same goes for tactics and strength). You will do more damage with it than without it.

 

[Kim Li of LS]

Archery
Bushido
Tactics
Anatomy
Healing
Chivalry

All@120

 

[Lightfoot]

Good advice Bort.

The other suggestion is just an ABC archer Kim Li. If I were going to play the template you suggest, I'd add imbued jewelry to let me add resist at 120.
But it seems kind of silly to waste all those millions on 7 120 scrolls for a character who will never pvp.

I remember the old days when Nieves of UO Powergamers used to say that if a skill wasn't gm it wasn't worth squat. I think maybe those days are long gone.

Given what you guys have said, I think I'll try the jewelry trick to put anatomy on template one and see if it makes a big difference. I haven't ever used Anatomy without Healing I don't think.

Thanks for the input. I'll post my results as these characters advance. I know I could just go to TC1 and try these out, but I enjoy playing so much more than powergaming.

 

[Bort of Atlantic]

Some skills should absolutely be taken to 120 while others can be effective at lower levels. Here are a few that don't have to be maxed --

Healing (I typically run 90-110; at the worst, I can use enhanced bandages for an effective bandage 10 skill points higher)
Bushido (50 is enough to get the honor damage bonus; I tried 120 on my archer but didn't like the LS spam, so I swapped it out for 50)
Chivalry (I've seen this all over the board, from 65-ish up to 110 or so, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a few folks trying 120 since the changes. Personally, I've gone for 80 for 100% consecrate weapon)

I try to max the following:

120 weapon skill (this is a no-brainer; you hit more often and you get hit fewer times)
120 tactics (great damage boost)
120 anatomy (doesn't always fit, but I don't think I'd be happy playing a PvM template w/o it)

If you stick 30 anatomy on your jewelry, you won't see much of a difference. You'll need 100-ish to see a decent increase in damage.

 

[Lightfoot]

If you stick 30 anatomy on your jewelry, you won't see much of a difference. You'll need 100-ish to see a decent increase in damage.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry I was unclear. I meant imbuing a ring and bracelet set with four skills at plus thirteen. Together these provide an extra 104 skill points to use to gm anatomy.

If I use lightning strike at gm archery, won't the difference between 150 skill and 170 skill be negligible in terms of hits as long as I'm fighting monsters?

Bort, I really appreciate you letting me pick your brains on this subject. Thanks.

 

[Bort of Atlantic]

Sure (there are a couple people here who have helped me quite a bit; just passing along the favor).

You'll feel the difference when you're at maxed damage via chiv/bushido/slayer and damage increase property. Here's an example with a shortbow:

100 str
120 tactics
0 anat
28-41 damage; you will do 84-123 with an LS crit
34.5 average hit (w/o counting resists or damage increase via bushido/chiv/slayer)

100 str
120 tactics
120 anat
34-49 damage; you will do 102-147 with an LS crit
41.5 average hit (w/o counting resists or damage increase via bushido/chiv/slayer)

You can probably already see the difference via the base average hit, but that gap is more noticeable when you're at the damage cap (i.e. you're doing an average of 21 less damage on LS crits ).

There's a weapon damage calculator on stratics that's very useful; it may help convince you to pick up anatomy if I haven't yet.